Claimed by the Hunter

A bounty hunter professes his love for his close companion.

Enjoy..

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The rhythmic thuds of boots and armor rang in the dark maroon hallways of King Gornu's Palace. An ominous imposing bounty hunter strode silently behind two Hyraxian honor guards. The bounty hunter was clad in black plated tactical armor with various orange symbols and accents; a matching hooded cloak hung off the imposing figure's right shoulder.

The guards stopped as they approached a set of grand-looking doors built on an intimidating scale. As the gates slowly parted, the Hyraxians opened a passage for the armored figure. The imposing hound-like sentries near the entrance couldn't help but portray visible unease at the figure's commanding presence.

Once inside, the bounty hunter observed his employer leisurely perched on a large satin bed, surrounded by several of his alluring concubines as he puffed some Spice.

"Oh oh oh! Sev!" King Gornu bellowed, taking a big puff from his Spice hookah. "I'm glad to see that you have returned so soon. Can I safely assume that the job is done?" he queried rubbing his fat green belly.

"Yes, the job is complete," the bounty hunter responded in a bereft tone. With deliberate motion, he swiftly unveiled his cloak and produced a mysterious brown sack fastened to his waist. As he offered the pouch to the rotund king, Gornu raised his bushy brow in curiosity. He signaled one of his servant girls to retrieve the sack from the paid hunter.

A red-maned concubine, adorned in seductive crimson attire, gracefully rose to her feet. Obediently striding to the bounty hunter, she cast an alluring presence in the fancy chamber, the air thick with Spice.

As the slave girl drew closer to the armored hunter, her presence strangely resonated with him. His aggressive V-shaped visor fixated on her, peering deeply into her very being. Her siren-green eyes seemed to conceal secrets. His eyes widened under his visor, triggered by a sudden sense of recognition.

Grazing her fingers on the sack, she was met by his gloved hand grasping her delicate wrist with a vise grip. A sharp gasp escaped her lips, her eyes locking onto the hunter's menacing visor. Perplextion and fear spread within her as her eyes gazed into the black void of his visor. She sensed something, a sense of familiarity and dread swelled, causing her stomach to churn.

"Do we have an issue, Sev?" Gornu began in a threatening, yet cautious tone. "May I why you have your hands on my property??" The bounty hunter who was known to King Gornu and many across the galaxy by the name of Sev, remained unresponsive. His focus on the slave girl's presence remained unwavering. Sensing the growing tension in the air, the king slowly sat up into a more postured position.

Before the situation could escalate further, Sev released his grasp from the girl's wrist and redirected his attention back to the more-than-plump lord.

"There's no issue, my lord," he answered coolly. "It's just that your ...concubine seems a little familiar..." Sev pointed out in a slow and suspicious tone. The redhead redirected the gaze of green eyes to the floor, wary of uttering a single word.

"Ho oh oh!" Gornu bellowed with pride. "She is one of my new prized possessions! I just got her recently! Gaha!"

"Is that right?" Sev quietly muttered to himself, his suspicion lingering under his breath.

"Emma! Come, bring me the sack," Gornu summoned the red-maned slave girl with a commanding tone. Sev's suspicions were proven correct right then and there about the girl. The bounty hunter couldn't help but shake his head in disapproval. "Never thought she would end up in a place like this," he reflected inwardly. He knew Emma well. As well as an adversary could, at least. She had always been a pain in the neck to deal with since she had often taken out contracts that were directly opposed to the interests of his own employers.

Sev wasn't sure exactly how he felt. On the one hand, it was gratifying to see her in her current predicament; Emma had cost him quite a few jobs. Yet, he was curious how she had managed to get herself caught like this. But he had no time to acquire the details: he just wanted to take his reward and depart this hell hole of a planet as quickly as possible.

Accepting the sack from his slave's trembling hands, King Gornu unsealed it in leisurely fashion, only gradually revealing the gruesome sight within. As Gornu peeled back the fabric, the severed head of one of his rival Spice cartel lords appeared. Its appearance sent a shiver through the room: its lifeless eyes were rolled back in their sockets; a tongue lolled out of its slack mouth. A sizable hole located precisely in the middle of the forehead strongly suggested the method by which the demise of the king's rival had been achieved.

The king's grin widened, radiating satisfaction, as he observed the macabre trophy with satisfaction before calmly sealing the sack. "Gaha! I am immensely pleased with your work, Sev. I should have brought you into my service far earlier!" Gornu boomed with delight, taking another puff of Spice.

"Would you mind indulging me with a few details about how you managed to execute your assignment?" the fat pig queried, still basking in the success of the job.

"I don't have time for small talk. All that matters is that the job is done. You contracted for the end result, not for the purchase of my trade secrets," Sev replied in a slightly irritated voice. Gornu cocked his brow, his previous smile of satisfaction now briefly displaced by a snarling hostility.

Gornu quickly poured a honeyed tone over his momentary loss of composure. "Hm, I suppose you're right. This job is done, that's all that matters." Gornu slowly nodded, sensing the baleful bounty hunter's impatience. The king snapped his fingers, causing another of his slave girls to appear bearing a suitcase. "Your payment, as agreed upon," Gornu said, with seeming graciousness.

Accepting the suitcase from the girl's hands, Sev unlocked it and cautiously cracked it open, disclosing stacks of unique and rare-looking metal alloys. Closing the suitcase, Sev nodded in approval. "Are they to your liking?" Gornu asked, verifying that Sev was content with his payment.

"Yes, this will suffice nicely. It's been a pleasure doing business," Sev answered, offering a small two-fingered salute. Gornu, relieved that the transaction had ended smoothly, let out a small sigh of relief.